a. Field of the Invention
In general, this invention relates to a dental articulator. More specifically, this invention relates to a dental articulator which is fundamental in construction, practical for use on a regular basis, and more suitable for many of the functions performed by a traditional articulator.
b. Description of Related Prior Art
Traditional dental articulators have been in use for many decades. The primary function of a dental articulator is to replicate a patient's dentition and or edentulous areas via stone casts. The casts approximate each other in a manner that simulates the patient's natural tooth positioning. These casts are usually mounted in the centric occlusion position, meaning the most interdigitated position of the teeth. Ideally, however, the casts are mounted in the centric relation position. The centric relation position may be broadly described as the natural articulation of the patient's teeth when the mandibular condyles are in their terminal hinge position. This is the most superior position of the condyles in their fossa. The centric relation position is usually different from the centric occlusion position, which is the patient's most intercuspal tooth position. A shift in the jaw can usually be seen in going from the centric relation position into the centric occlusion position.
These mounted casts can be used for a variety of purposes. Preliminary or diagnostic models are used for treatment planning, patient education and dental student learning. Working models are used for restorative needs such as the fabricating crowns, bridges, dentures, splints, implant prosthesis and orthodontic appliances. Precise simulation of the jaw movements can also be a valuable tool in the education of dental students and patients alike.
Using a traditional articulator to perform these functions can be a very time consuming and complex endeavor. An hour or more can easily be spent to form and correctly mount teeth casts on most of the articulator instruments currently available. Moreover, because multiple plaster mixes of stone are needed to mount and groom the casts on a traditional articulator, in addition to the complex measurements and adjustments needed during the mounting process, the patient from whom the impressions were taken to form the cast mountings is usually no longer available for verifying the centric relation bite. Therefore, if the first formed cast mountings are inaccurate, the entire process must be repeated. Also, such traditional instruments are usually intricate mechanical devices which require a trained and experienced operator to obtain reliable data. As a result, most dentists see no practical use for traditional articulators in their work.